Photo: Days of Summer Cruise
Level of Difficulty:Depends on your love of hip-hop, but for me 4/10
DAY 1
Shaughn Cooper
A portion of the Lido Deck transformed into a multi-level stage that the star and her twerking, neon-clad backup dancers worked every inch of. “Let’s get it poppin’,” she told the crowd, and they obliged. As the wind off the sea picked up, the ever-candid star kicked off her thigh-high boots and borrowed a hair tie from a fan in between belting out lyrics to hits like“Press”and “Money”. So amped was the crowd after the performance that many poured into the lower level casino and clubs to party into the wee hours. While my husband tried his luck (and won!) at the casino’sWheel of Fortuneslot machine, I turned in early with a Bardi bounce in my step.
DAY 2
Aside from hip hop performances, the cruise offered everything from Madden and Dominoes tournaments to a CÎROC Ultra-Premium Vodka mixology class and hip-hop workouts. Saturday morning I took advantage of the latter, a spin class with a muscular instructor named Eddie from Atlanta’s Gits Dis Work fitness. For an hour I grooved, laughed and sweated profusely. It was a great way to burn off calories from the 24-hour pizza station cuisine I’d taken advantage of, in lieu of the crowded buffet. From there it was time to shower and hit the beach of Nassau, our first Port of Call.
Seeing the capital city of the Bahamas was fun (and the fresh fried snapper was delicious), but the time on land felt far too brief. That said, shortly after returning to the ship, Post Malone‘s energetic afternoon set all but made up for the rush. The heavily tattooed star was all smiles as he haphazardly bounced across the stage singing hits like “Better Now” and “Congratulations” to the surprised crowd (he was originally scheduled to perform late that night, so most fans weren’t expecting him while others would learn they’d missed him). In the evening Dej Loaf served as a somewhat subdued headliner, following after rapper Trick Daddy who happily transported the crowd back to the ’90s and early 2000s with songs like “Nann” and “I’m a Thug”. Though a late night Glow in the Dark party was circled on our itinerary, I decided instead to call it a night.
DAY 3
By morning on Sunday we’d arrived just off of Carnival’s private island Half Moon Cay. After grabbing breakfast at the buffet, we hopped aboard the ferry boat transporting people to the island. Once there, it was all about sun, sand and an inordinate amount of selfies. With the many verified and aspiring social media influencers taking part in the cruise, nearly every inch of the powdery sanded beach was being used for mini photo shoots. The scene was funny, but infectious, as I too found myself asking my husband to get my best angle for that perfect shot. The hundreds of colorful, barely-there bikinis seemed to complement the schools of glittering fish swimming in the crystal blue water. And as Afrobeats music blared from the island’s main bar, I quickly eased into the vacation vibe.
The Verdict:
With room rates from $1000 to $3500 a person, the annual cruise is not the cheapest weekend getaway, but if you add up all the concert tickets you’d have to buy to see these acts, it’s definitely worth it. The schedule was hectic and the beach time was fleeting, but overall it was a fun time with a lot of wildly fun people. During my interview with DJ Khaled, the star put it best: “When I got invited to be on this boat, I said absolutely. Just catching a vibe, that’s what it’s all about. I can’t consider this work!” When I think about it, I guess neither can I.
source: people.com
